After being featured on a
CBC News headline the other day, a girl with an eye injury who was previously denied insurance coverage has now been cleared for a payout.
Emily Laprise suffered from partial loss of vision in her left eye following a soccer accident that detached her retina and ripped a hole in the retinal lining. Nancy Desrosiers, Laprise’s mother, had an accident insurance policy for her daughter through Industrial Alliance that would have covered $50,000 in medical expenses. The insurer, however, ruled that Laprise did not qualify for coverage since her eye injury was not severe enough.
Over half a million people viewed the
CBC article online on Laprise’s dilemma, the news outlet reported. Not long after the story made the rounds online, many people took to social media to express their outrage over Industrial Alliance’s denial of the coverage.
The insurer responded to these social media outbursts immediately, saying that it was “...in discussions….to resolve this issue in the most positive way.” Industrial Alliance has now offered Laprise and Desrosiers a settlement, terms undisclosed.
“Our clients’ satisfaction is our number one priority,” Industrial Alliance spokesperson Pierre Picard told
CBC. “Our actions are based on that priority.”
“Industrial Alliance listened to my concerns and showed genuine effort to make me a satisfied customer,” commented Desrosiers. “We have come to a mutually agreeable solution, which I’m very comfortable with, and for that I am very appreciative.”
Desrosiers shared that she was overwhelmed by the online public support she and her family received.
“It was unbelievable to see so many people [on social media] saying something had to be done,” she said.
According to Desrosiers, the money from the settlement will be used to provide special prescription glasses to Laprise as well as to help fund Laprise’s goal of becoming a doctor.
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